Until Next Time
by Joon
Summary: Alucard comes to Integra's deathbed to get last orders and to issue one of his own.


Ah, my first Hellsing fic. Yikes, what AM I doing? g No spoilers to the anime series. I had to get this out of my head before I could concentrate on anything else. It has almost no plot and more just my own take on the kind of non-fluffy, twisted, damned relationship Alucard has with his human master.

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It seemed fitting that a disease would take her. That for all the dangers and threats she faced in her life at the hands of power-hungry relatives and bloodthirsty ghouls and vampires, Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, was to perish at the hands of something so ordinary. So human. No foul demon or rotted soul ever touched the leader of the Hellsing Organization. And now none ever would.

The stillness of Integra's bedroom and the morbid hush that fell over the entire Hellsing mansion were in stark contrast to the chaos that awaited just beyond their borders. In celebration of Death's impending approach to claim her life, all of Hellsing's enemies stood with bated breath to begin what they must have believed to be imminent victory. There was no heir to England's last defense against the horrors that festered in the shadows. The death of Integra would mean the final and permanent fall of Hellsing.

Alucard wondered if the world was so foolish as to believe such a thing. Probably. The world had spent much of its time underestimating his master. He didn't see why her death would change anything.

While the countless hours spent in Death's presence had made the vampire desensitized to its approach, standing in Integra's vast bedroom, he could feel and almost see it hiding in the shadows. Waiting.

The woman lying in the bed was a frail imitation of a living body. The disease having eaten away at her, leaving behind bones covered in soft paper. Observing the fragile figure for a moment, Alucard stood tall by his master's feet. Despite the closed face, naked of its usual glasses, Integra was awake. Slowly, she opened her eyes, taking only a second before focusing in on the familiar red-clad figure. While her body betrayed her, the vampire saw the will of Integra was as strong and as commanding as ever. The blue eyes were focused and arrogant, just as they'd been when as a child, she'd faced him, wielding a pride that could never be crushed.

A thrilled grin spread across Alucard's pale face.

The red coat rippled, as if teased by a phantom breeze. And as the material flapped against the long legs, it darkened, elongating into a mass of black tendrils, reaching outward. But even as Alucard grew, his size exaggerated against the wasted, bedridden figure, he kneeled. Bowing at the feet of his master, who only closed her eyes again, a bemused expression ghosting over her features.

For all his flippancy, Alucard was aware this would be the last time he would see his master alive. He would not tell her goodbye. Or spare words of camaraderie or fondness. Certainly not love. Such emotions were for the those who still saw a light for themselves. And Alucard had not seen anything but the darkness for so long, he'd long forgotten what it meant to have even the flicker of a candle illuminate his existence.

Perhaps Integra still remembered. It wasn't so long ago that she had been a girl, concerned with only childish matters. But somewhere between that basement where she'd first killed another human and the bed she lay in now, the only female to rule over Hellsing had resigned to actions that secured her immortal soul to hell. For her God and country, she'd blazed her path toward damnation with Hellsing's greatest weapon clearing the road for her at her command.

Why would a woman like her want to hear words of love from a monster like him? She would not. For creatures such as them, the only thing that mattered was power. Love would not bring comfort or soothe her troubled soul. Only the knowledge that her strength would live on, even as her body did not.

_Master, when you reach the gates of Hell. Wait for me. _There was no reply to this, but Alucard could feel the question rising in Integra's mind at his request. _Wait for me. For I cannot enter without your orders._

Satan himself might come out for him. Alucard liked to think he'd made an impression. But so what if the Prince of Darkness, the original sinner, came to drag him through? He would not move, unless commanded to do so by the only one who could control him.

Understanding his words, so much sweeter to her than any heartfelt declarations, Integra allowed herself to smile.

Shadows grew and Death shifted closer. With his tuned senses, Alucard could hear the scratches of the enemy who stood at the far edges of their land, itching to invade. He could smell the rotting flesh of the ghouls who scrambled for Hellsing blood and the vampires who laughed at their predicted triumph against an organization about to lose their leader.

Only they were fools.

Rising to his feet, Alucard's shadows filled every inch of the large bedroom, towering over the bed in all its horrifying glory. The sight of him, his near grotesque form so capable of destruction and chaos would be the last thing she'd ever see. A vision of her legacy and her immortality.

_Integra.__ My master,_ he purred.

The smile on her face only deepened. They were not playing a game or pawing at a pathetic memory of their old roles as she lay dying. She was still his master. He her monstrous servant.

_The enemy think themselves victorious, Alucard. Such arrogance, _she mused.

Alucard grinned. _Your orders, my master._

_There is only one order, vampire. _

And as Death finally closed its icy hand on Integra's heart, the fading leader of the Hellsing Organization opened her eyes and drew in a final breath to issue her last command.

Long before the body grew cold and the doors opened to the grieving faces of Walter and Seras, Alucard was gone. He gave not another thought to the corpse in the bed that was no more Integra, but a bag of flesh and bones. Integra was gone, but Alucard had with him the essential thing that had always connected them. He would carry out her orders. And in doing so, she would always be present in every drop of blood spilled and in every body decimated. Her legacy through him.

He would carry out her orders until he saw her again by Hell's gates, where she would once again issue him a new command. He looked forward to it. Until then, he had business to attend to.

The vampire growled in giddy rage at the number of opponents waiting for him as he approached. The gloved fingers tensed as it readied to strike the chest of the first in his path.

_There is only one order, vampire._

The sigils etched into the white fabric glowed their customary blood red as Alucard extended his arm and pierced the ghoul's form.

_"Search and destroy."_

Blood splattered and voices screamed.

Alucard bared his teeth with anticipated, manic delight.

This would be exquisite.

THE END


End file.
